Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3759, Mordecai Franklin, N.C.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N.C.
Franklin, Mordecai
R. 3759
Born in N.C.
CONTENTS

State of Indiana      Owen Probate Court February Term Owen County ss.      1834
On this 10 day of February 1834, personally appeared in Open Court, before the Hon. John Dunn sole Judge of the Probate Court of Owen County in the State of Indiana. Mordcai Franklin a resident of the County in the State aforesaid. Aged seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated. That he was drafted in the service of the United States in Stokes County at a place called Old Richmond in the State of North Carolina in the year 1781. (applicant believes it was in the spring season of that year, but from distance of time and loss of memory he cannot be very positive) That Heickman was Captain of the Company to which he belonged and Lock was the Colonel who commanded the Regiment to which said Company of Capt. Heickman was attached. That they encamped a very short time at Old Richmond and was from thence marched to near Wilmington and was joined to the main army under the command of General Greene at a place then called Pine  Forest tree, and continued in the army last aforesaid till a few days before the battle at the Eutaw Springs, when from much exposure applicant was taken sick and put in charge of what was then called the flying hospital by his comrades whether that was the real name or not he does not know, about this time his term of service expired, but having recovered said applicant was again joined to his Company, which under the command of Col. Lock was sent to guard the prisoners taken in the battle at Eutaw Springs before alluded to, Salisbury. The number of the prisoners as well as he now recollects was three hundred British and about one hundred Tories.

Applicant was then and there informed that General Greene had only ordered said company to be used as such guard till the expiration of their time of service, but that Col. Stock detained them for three weeks longer, when Col. Stock was called to Genl. Greene and the company discharged.
That the term for which he was drafted as aforesaid was three months, that during said term of service he was in no battle, that his said service was performed in the State of North Carolina, the length of which was three months and three weeks . That the discharge which he received he retained for many years, and it was lost or destroyed he don't recollect which.
That after his return home, he was frequently called out on the minute service under the command of Capt. Venable to disperse bands of Tories, and restore peace to the neighborhood after the Tories had created alarm; the number of times he left home under the command last aforesaid he can not now state, nor the precise number of days he was employed, but he is certain the time he was actively and actually employed in the last this last named service could not exceed be less than five weeks, that for his said last named service he never received any discharge.
That he was born in the year 1757 (near Old Richmond) in North Carolina, where he continued his residence till in the year 1827 when he removed to his present residence in Owen County aforesaid. He has no documentary evidence of his age, his father's record being destroyed by fire.
That he has never received one cent for his services in either of the above employments.
Applicant served as above stated five months in all and for that time he claims a pension as a private in the war of the Revolution.
He has no documentary evidence of his service, and knows of no person whose testimony he can now procure to prove them other than this his own declaration.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court the 10 day of February 1834
his Mark Mordecai Franklin
We Aaron Brannum and John Franklin residents of the neighborhood of the above named applicant (there being no clergyman residing in said neighborhood) hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Mordecai Franklin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration in our hearing, that we believe him to be seventy six years old that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court the 10 day of February 1834
Aaron Brannum John Franklin
Test J. C. Johnson Clk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, and the Court further certifies that it appears to the satisfaction of the said Court that Aaron Brannum and John Franklin residents in the same neighborhood with said applicant, who signed and was sworn to the above certificate are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Dunn
Sole Judge of Open Probate Court
J. C. Johnson Clerk of the Court of Probate in and for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Mordecai Franklin for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
Given under my hand and seal this 10th day of February 1834

And affixed his the seal of said County at Ossipee in the town of Spence the 10 th day of February 1834
T. Johnson (M. O. P. C.)
29.819
Horace Franklin Declaration for a Pension
5759
Young Men Rep.
A. H. Batchelder

Hn. J. Erwig

State of Indiana Pike County ss.
On this 26 th day of March 1834 personally appeared before Isaac Newton a Justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, at his office in the town of Spencer Moore a native of Franklin aged 76 years who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1834
That he entered the service as stated in his declaration as here tofore in this behalf made, and placed on the files of the War Department Pension Office March 8 th 1834 as seen by the letter J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions, and served as there is stated. That in said declaration there is two amendments necessary to be made in order to present the whole of applicant's service, the first occasioned by D. R. DeKiles Esquire who drew up the declaration the other by the failure of applicant's recollection. The mistake above first alluded was this then that after the battle of the Eutaw Springs as stated in the former declaration mentioned and detailed applicant informed said DeKiles when writing the former declaration, that they were by the agreement of themselves and their Officers detained two weeks after the time their services expired and was employed in guarding the soldiers at Eutaw and on the way to Salisbury and that by the order of Col. Lockhart who was the Command when they were marched and to have discharged them on their arrival at Salisbury but that he failed to do so and detained them for three weeks afterwards, when they were discharged by order of General Greene, making five weeks instead of three that they served, that when said declaration was read to him he did not discover the mistake, and verily believed he had claimed for five instead of three weeks on this account. That in addition to the minute service in his former declaration mentioned he had when he made out the former declaration forgotten to state two weeks service

which he performed under the command of Col. Shepherd that this tour was performed in the interim between his other minute service, in his former declaration mentioned that they were marched out north from Stokes County N.C. to disperse a band of Tories that when they went the Tories were not to be found, nor they could get no trace of them, that they were on the waters of Sarrat, and Little Salpines and when they ascertained they could not be found they were again marched back home and discharged. That this last named service had entirely slipped his mind at the time he made his former declaration, and is not computed in the eight weeks minute service therein stated that his memory is imperfect impaired much by reason of his age, and that from this cause alone it was omitted in his former declaration.
His services then for which he now claims and which he actually performed are these tours
1 st His three months tour first in his former declaration mentioned.
2 nd Five weeks time which he was detained in that service after he should have been discharged.
3 rd Eight weeks minute service as stated in his first declaration on file as aforesaid.
4 th Two weeks additional minute service in the command of Col. Shepherd above alluded to. Making together in the war of the revolution three months and fifteen weeks or one hundred and ninety six  four days.
That a pension for the above time he believes is his just and hard earned due, and that therefore he claims it by this his amended declaration, that government never having paid him any thing for his services.
Signed and sworn to in the presence of D. R. Weeks and
Mordecai his X Franklin mark
John his X Franklin mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of March 1834
Isaac Henson S.P. - seat

State of Indiana Daviess County ss:
Deland R. Dehels Esquire states on oath that so much of the foregoing declaration as alludes to him and the mistake by him made in the declaration of Mordecai Franklin he believes is true, he distinctly recollects that when said Franklin was making out his statement upon which his former declaration was written, when speaking of the time he was employed over and about the three months tour, he first spoke of two and then three weeks, that he thought at the time he alluded to the same period, and wrote out the same accordingly, and that he is now satisfied he was mistaken, and that it was owing to this circumstance that affiant advised said Franklin to not to claim for more than five months, thinking that said Franklin was not certain in his own mind whether it was two or three weeks. Affiant's age is twenty seven years, and further he saith not.
Signed and sworn to in my presence,
John his Franklin mark
Deland R. Dehels
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26 th day of March 1834.
Isaac Hutton B. (seal)
State of Indiana
Daviess County ss
I Thomas C. Johnson Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of said do hereby certify that Isaac Hutton Esquire whose signature appears to the above certificate of magistracy is and was at the time of making the same an acting justice of the peace duly elected and qualified, and that faith and credit are due to all such his official acts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at office in Spencer this 27 th March 1834. (R. Johnson C. I. R. Com. C.)

3759  over
P. O.
Mordecai Franklin
Service: _____
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.

29. 819
Mosdecia Franklin Indiana.
Rejected, served only five months. See letter 8 March 1834 to Hon John Ewing H. R. do 16 ap l 1834 [papers deliv d to Do July 1. 1834] see letter — 2 ap l '35 to H. R. Eckels.

J. L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D. C.

Spencer Indiana March 17 th 1835
Sir
The pension papers of Mordecai Franklin were received some time since, and owing to absence from home during the winter they have not received attention till now. The "objection" contained in yours seems to be for the want of time.
In the original declaration it will be seen that the applicant claimed for three months and three weeks and and for two additional weeks as per amended declaration which should have been added see affidavit of D R Beckel annexed to the amended declaration here with returned. Five weeks minute service, as per original declaration. applicant is not certain of the precise time but he knows it could not be less than 5 weeks, but his best opinion is that it was as much as 6 weeks.
Two weeks additional service under command of Shepher as per amended declaration would make at least three months and twelve weeks .
It is true that a mistake is made in the computation time in the for-amended declaration of three weeks, but the applicant thinks there are six months service making

a deduction for the mistake.
As yet applicant cannot positively prove his services he is of opinion that he can prove by persons who lived in the country near him during the revolution, that it was a tradition common report that applicant was in the service under the officers in his declaration mentioned.
It is possible that by corresponding with some of the pensioners yet in Carolina he can prove the precise length of his minute service.
I have therefore by request forwarded to you the papers without amendment. If you should continue to believe that six months service as set is not claimed in the declaration you will please return them, and say if the kind of testimony above alluded to, will be admissible, and give such other instructions as you may deem necessary.
Yours most respectfully
Delano R. Eckles